Automatically-operating mechanical handling apparatus



A. G. CLAPIER. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING MECHANICAL HANDLING'APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1920.

1 ,376,3 1 7 Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. G. CLAPHZR. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING MECHANICAL HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5,1920- 1,376,317, Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

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ALBERT ens'rnvn onerinn, or cHer/rBoN-FnNGEnoLLns, FRANCE,

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATING MECHANICAL HANDLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed March 5, 1920. Serial No. 363,445.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT GUsrAvn CLAPIER, a citizen of the French Republic, residing in Chambon-Fengerolles, France have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Operating Mechanical Handling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The objection to all known kinds of antomatically operating mechanically handling apparatus is the space they occupy and the intricate mechanisms associated therewith. The invention consists in improvements in such apparatus and has for its object the obviating of those objections.

By means of the improved apparatus there is placed at the disposal of an unskilled or disabled workman an operating chain that is adapted to help him when desired to handl loads.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same certain parts thereof being in positions different from those they have in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a modified arrangement of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a further modification of theapparatus.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the improved ap paratus comprises an automatically operating valvular appliance A, which is an essential feature of the improved apparatus. The appliance consists of a cylinder (Z contains a piston valve p whose stem 25 passes through one end the cylinder and is connected to an operating chain c that passes over a guide pulley S, and is secured to a scoop or receptacle 7) for coal. rubbish, or other material. The other end of cylinder (Zis attached to the rod T of a piston P working in a motor cylinder D to which can be admitted motive fluid. which may be compressed air, steam, or any fluid under pressure. The rear end of cylinder D, that is to say the end of the cylinder remote from the appliance A is pivotally attached to a fixed point K.

The valvular appliance A. insures a proper distribution of the motive fluid in the motor cylinder D. The piston. valve p is kept nor mally at that end of the cylinder (Z which is nearer the motor cylinder I) by means of a suitable coil spring 7 encircling the valve stem 6, and interposed between one end of the cylinder (Z and he valve.

A flexible pipe F connects the cylinder D in front of the piston P with cylinder (Z in front of piston valve p. The portion of the cylinder (Z in front of the valve 1' is normally in communication with th atmosphere by means of holes m provided in the wall of cylinder d opposite the spring 1". A second flexible tube G is adapted to convey compressed air or other fluid under pressure to cylinder (Z by means of theport 0 which is normally closed by the distributing valve p when the apparatus is not working: i

' Supposing the apparatus at rest and the portion of the cylinder D in front of the piston P open to the atmosphere through pipe F and holes m. the piston can be brought to the end of its outward or front smoke by applying to chain c a slight pull which is. however, not sufiicient to compress the spring 1 to such an extent as to cause an admission of compressed air through port 0. If when the piston P is at the end of its outer strike an operator continues to pull the chain c. the distributing valve p conipresses the spring 9, so that compressed air will pass from tube G through orifice c to the portion of the cylinder D in front of the piston P, which at once exerts a pull on cvlind er Z so that the spring a becomes further compressed. and the shoulder 25 formed on the stem tof the valve 7 abuts against the front endof the cylinder (Z, the parts assuming the positions shown in Fig. 2.

[is soon as the shoulder t thus engages the end of the cylinder (Z. the scoop b, and any materials loaded into it will be moved vertically, horizontal y. or in other direction for a distance equal to the length of the stroke of the piston P. 7

As soon as the scoop is emptied or deposited. the compressed spring 1* reacts and pushes the piston p back to the end of its inward or rear stroke the piston thereby closing the air admission port 0 and placmg port 6 in communication with the atmosphere so that the motive fluid in front of piston P is exhausted. and the latter can be returned to its initial position at the front end of cylinder D by means of'a slight pull on chain c. The apparatus thereby becomes ready for another'handling operation.

In using the apparatus, if the open end I) of the scoop be pushed into a heap of coal or other material to be removed, and the.

pivoted handle 5 thereof be turned so as to give a slight pull on chain c, the appliance A starts to operate, causing the loading hand spade or like article,.by attaching the chain 0 to an appropriate paru of the spade- The distance that the apparatus transports aload vcan be regulated by the stroke of the piston P, which may exercise either a direct pull, or a pull'through a system of pulleys. 7

In the modified arrangements of the improved handling apparatus, asshown in Figs. 3 and 1, the automatic valvular appliance or device is arranged at one or other of the ends of the motor cylinder whereby the employment of flexible tubing for the. conduct of the motive fluid to the motor.

cylinder is avoided and the stern of: the piston in that cylinder is guided in its movements. In Fig. 3 the said device is disposed at the rear end of the cylinder, and in Fig. 4 at the front end .of the cylinder.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, exhaust or outlet holes m are arranged in the .end wall of the chamber in rear of the distributing cylinder cl, and the piston p is held normally in the exhaust or open position by a spring 1'.

If when the rod t of the distributer p is connected to a stationary point and the whole apparatus is freely suspended by an eye bolt K fixed in the vicinity of the center of gravity, a pull is exerted on motor piston P, thenat the moment when the latter abuts on the front end of the cylinder, spring 1".

becomes tensioned and'piston p closes the outlets m and establishes communication between orifice 0 and orifice e, which, by means of conduit J, is normally in communication with the space in front of the motor piston P. On motive fluid being admitted through conduit J to the said space I piston'P transmits a pull to the chain C, which while passing over the guide pulley S raises the load in receptacle Z; vertically for a height equal to the travel of the'piston. As soon as theload is emptied or deposited spring r'reacts and piston p returns to its initial oropen position, Fig. 3, and permits the chain and its tackle to descend.

In the case where the automatic valvular appliance is located at the front end of the plied to the chain C piston l is caused to reach the end of its front stroke while pushing piston 7) and compressing sprin 7", so that motive fluid is admitted to cylinder D in front of piston 1?, communication being established between orifice oand orifice e by means of the duct J. ldiston I? performs its stroke dragging. chainC and the load which is attached to it, until the stop It on the pistonrod T abuts against the end of the hollow rod 6 of the distributing piston 29; at this moment, the two pistons i and p commence to move together and operate as two differential pistons whose total tractive power becomes reduced and insufficient to continue the lifting of the load. as soon as the load is emptied or deposited, piston P regains the upper hand and spring r reasserting itself piston p moves to a position wherein exhaust occurs through orifice e which opens into the chamber which contains spring r and is itself provided with exhaust outlets m. Piston P can thus return to its initial position ready to perform another working stroke.

It will be seen that the distributing conduit- J can be replaced by appropriate piping leading from cylinder d so arranged that all the motive fluid distributing parts are contained within the cylinder and that the outlet orifices m' permit of a continuous lubrication of the guide tube L by the escaping fluid. i p

*In each casethe travelv of the motorpiston P can be rendered more or less sluggish by providing at the rear end of the motor cylinder D brake holes 7 of appropriate section.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention, and the best means I know of carryingthe same into practical effect, I claim v r 1. In apparatus for mechanically handling a load, a stationary support, a cylinder pivotally attached to the support and having .a combined inlet and outlet port, a piston and a piston rod, a guide pulley, a flexible member passing over the 'pulley, and operatively connected at one end with said piston rod, a receptacle for a load. suspended from the other end of the flexible member, a duct communicating at one end with a source of supply of motive fluid, a tubular conduit connected at one of its ends with said combined inlet and outlet port, means adapted to control communication between the second end of the tubular conduit and the second end of the fluid supand retracts the said flexible member and the receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for mechanically handling a load, a stationary support, 2. cylinder pivotally attached to the support and having a combined inlet and outlet port, a piston and a piston rod, a guide pulley, a flexible member passing over the pulley, a receptacle for a load suspended from one end of the flexible member, a duct communicating at one end with a source of supply of motive fluid, tubular conduit connected at one of its ends with the said combined inlet and outlet port, an automatic valvular device interposed between the sec ond end of the motive fluid supply duct and the second end of said conduit, said valvular device being connected with said piston rod and with the second end of the flexible member.

3. In apparatus for mechanically handling a load, a stationary support, acylinder pivotally attached to the support and having a combined inlet and outlet port, a piston and a piston rod, a guide pulley, a flexible member passing over the pulley, a receptacle for a load suspended from one end of the flexible member, a duct communicating at one end with a source of supply of motive fluid, a tubular conduit connected at one of its ends with the said combined inlet and outlet port, an automatic valvular device interposed between the second end of the motive fluid supply duct and the second end of said conduit, said valvular device comprising a ported cylindrical casing, closed at one end and apertured at the other end, a spring pressed piston valve and a valve stem, said casing connected at its closed end with the rod of-the motor cylinder piston, a port in the casing registering with said second end of the motive fluid supply duct, a second port in the casing registering with the said second end of the conduit, and a third port in communication with the interior of the casing and the atmosphere, said valve stem passing through the aperture in the end of the casing and connected with the second end of the flexible member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT GUSTAVE CLAPIER. [L.s.]

Witnesses PAUT. V. L. DEBAW. 

